Punjab gets its first modern fruit and vegetable market

Agrarian state Punjab Saturday got its first ultra modern fruit and vegetable market which will be a one-stop point for farmers for wholesale and retail selling.

Inaugurating the market here, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced that ultra modern fruit and vegetable markets on the same pattern would be soon set up in other big cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala in the first phase.

"The remaining cities would be covered gradually in the second phase to ensure hassle-free and smooth marketing facilities to the farmers and traders, including retailers and wholesellers, besides giving a boost to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables as a part of state government's flagship programme of crop diversification," he said.

The new market has been constructed in an area of 12.5 acres at a cost of nearly Rs.50 crore.

Farmers have been allotted space in this market to directly sell their produce to wholesale and retail customers.

Punjab Mandi Board secretary Deepinder Singh said that the market will have cleaning facilities of international standard for fruits and vegetables.

"For the first time in any fruit and vegetable market in the state, the entire sale procedure would be monitored electronically," he said.